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Confederacy of the South Seas
The Confederacy of the South Seas, formally known as the South Seas Maritime League, is an expansionist faction that initially formed from groups of pirates, smugglers, mercenaries, and political radicals that banded together in the pursuit of establishing complete independence and sovereignty in the southern realms of the Eastern Kingdoms, with particular focus in the region of Stranglethorn Vale. The Confederacy once used to operate as a loose coalition of corsairs and sell-swords, but have in recent history centralized their means of governance and enacted new laws to solidify their holdings in the Vale and the surrounding waters. Furthermore, they've recently sought to legitimize their standing as a formal political state, going so far as to harass and invade the borderlands of the Kingdom of Stormwind. Ever since the summer of 625 in the King's Calendar, the Confederacy has been engaged in open hostilities with the Kingdom of Stormwind in a conflict known as the Pirate King's War, named after the leader of the Confederacy itself. History Not much is truly known about the Confederacy, but many speculate that the organization began primarily as a trading guild in the South Seas somewhere around 620 K.C. A group of merchants, tired of monopolies held by the Kingdom of Stormwind and the many royal and independent companies that resided within the lands of the realm, founded the guild under the name of the South Seas Maritime League. The League initially operated through legitimate means; most of the business the League involved itself in was the trading of wood, grain, and even precious resources like silver and metal ores mined in Elwynn and Redridge. However, the League failed to take off as a prosperous business venture, and it is rumored that radical factions infiltrated the fledgling company as it neared bankruptcy. From henceforth, it resorted to piracy and smuggling. To this end, the head tradesmen of the League bought out a plethora of small pirate bands, mercenary groups, and smuggling rings to aide them in their new ventures. Great riches gained through these illegitimate enterprises began to flow like a mighty river carving its path through the land. However, infighting soon began. Months after the beginning of these new dealings, a group of upstart brigands and scoundrels attempted to overthrow the tradesmen that governed the League. They did so successfully, installing a new form of government under the leadership of a man known only as the Pirate King. The Pirate King's identity is not known by many, but it is assumed that the fellow had a distinct hatred towards the Kingdom of Stormwind. His reasons behind this antagonism are a mystery as well, but speculations suggest that it may have to do with probable past encounters involving the Royal Navy, the Crown government, or perhaps disagreements with the Kingdom's ideology. Whatever the case may be, what is known is that the Pirate King was able to focus all of the League's resources into acquiring new ships, buying more mercenaries, and persuading more pirate bands to join his cause. The League also took on an anarchic spin, with talks of open conflict against the monarchy in order to gain their wealth by means of plunder and booty. By late 623 K.C. the League had so rapidly expanded that it proceeded to formalize itself as a loosely-organized nation of free men and women. The Pirate King officially declared the pirate haven of Libertalia as the capital of this new, fledgling nation. The location of the capital is unknown to most, secreted away in the jungles of Stranglethorn Vale. What's more, the League eventually declared the formation of a formal maritime confederation -- perhaps due to the larger population and increasingly complicated logistics that necessitated the need for more efficient management. At this point, it can be assumed that while the League, now the Confederacy, still holds great distrust and contempt for the Kingdom of Stormwind, it has shifted its own nature of governance to meet the demands of their economy and people. In order to do so, the Confederacy has focused its military efforts in conquering the weakened borderlands of Stormwind's empire, sapping what riches and land they can in order to strengthen and legitimize their own ventures. The Rise of the League When the Confederacy was still known as the League, it featured a variety of individuals each with their own respective goals and aims. While many of these factions bickered and argued with each other, it was believed that both the charisma and leadership of the Pirate King and the shared want for wealth and power was been able to keep the young coalition afloat. The Pirate Bands The list of the many pirate bands that joined the League is far too large to count. They not only incorporated smaller, break-away elements from other larger pirate fleets -- such as the Bloodsail Buccaneers and the Blackwater Raiders -- but they prominently featured a large amount of small, independent captains and their equally small squadrons. With so many seadogs vying for glory and plunder, it was a miracle that they didn't go mad. The most prominent squadron within the pirate bands of the League, at the time, were those of Andrew "Death's Reaper" Crenshaw. It is rumored that Admiral Crenshaw and his fleet were able to acquire a ship of the line -- a rare sight among pirate squadrons. Crenshaw is said to have served in the Stormwind Royal Navy, and that Andrew Crenshaw isn't even his real name. What's more, it's said that he obtained his nick-name by supposedly causing a mutiny aboard his ship all by himself! The Mercenary Companies Multiple mercenary guilds, companies, and bands signed on with the League when it was still relatively young. Some were led by idealistic mercenary captains, and others simply sought the riches and fortunes to be had in living the high, but short life of a buccaneer. What was astounding about the League was the quality of their mercenaries: most were aged veterans from the Second and Third Wars, with many also having served with Stormwind during the height of the Horde-Alliance War. When many returned to find their lands sold off to fuel the war effort or their pensions not delivered, they turned to the sword once more and offered it to the highest bidder. A mix of wanderlust and personal hatred by many of the Crown has led to these mercenaries becoming quite loyal to the ideas of freedom and wealth that the League initially offered. Perhaps the most famous of these mercenary bands were those of the Bear's Talons Mercenary Guild, a group of mercenaries hailing from veterans of the wars in Gilneas. After the fall of the Wall, many of these men came to the southern realms and started up their own mercenary company under the leadership of one Colonel Wilson Cromwell. Cromwell's methods of leadership and training led to his mercenaries being of the highest quality -- with their armor still bearing the unique designs of their homeland. These Gilneans have now gone on to enlist individuals from Elwynn, Westfall, and Redridge. Many of their recruits began to hail from the western agricultural regions -- distraught and angered at the Crown for their continued negligence in aiding them from their plight. The Smugglers Weapons and ships alone could not keep the fledgling League alive -- coin was needed to pay for mercenaries, to repair arms and armor, and to keep local authorities in check should they forget their place. While some legitimate tradesmen tended to keep their transactions with the League to themselves, there were those who operated underground; they were the middle-men, the transporters and deliverers of certain goods, and they were the ones who traveled the river routes under the cover of night. These smugglers formed small groups and circles to protect their shared interests, and most dealt with goods that'd be generally relegated to the "black market". Illegal arms, substances, and forging coin were all in their repertoire of skills. Although some seemed like cowardly individuals choosing to hide in the shadows or behind a pair of burly bodyguards, some of these fellows chose to be cutthroat in their negotiations: whether it be with silver tongues or a sharpened dagger. When it comes to cutthroat men, the shadowy cabal known simply as The Trust '''was known to be a relatively small but powerful association of like-minded tradesmen with only one goal in mind: coin. By any means necessary. Led by a man known only to the public as '''Goldsman, The Trust managed to provide the League with much of its resources. There are of course other organizations that pertained to smuggling, but almost all of them answered to Goldsman and The Trust. It is said that Goldsman himself obtained the position of Exchequer, although many doubt that the position actually exists within the League itself. The Fleet The total strength of the League's fleet is still unknown, but estimates vary greatly. Some speculate that rumors of the fleet's strength are just that: rumors, meant to try and strike fear into the enemies of the League. Others claimed that they have seen the fleet with their own eyes, and that the numbers aren't exaggerations or fantasies. Most of their ships were obtained by means of plunder or robbery on the high seas, rather than having constructed the ships themselves. Some reckon the fleet numbered at about thirty or so ships in total. The types of these ships varied greatly, with most ranging from smaller sized sloops and brigantines -- suited for commerce raiding and assaulting larger ships or fleets quickly. There were also ships of nominal size, including galleons for transporting marines and plunder. The fleet was also known to have a small amount of military class vessels, including forty-gun frigates and it was rumored that there was even a single ship-of-the-line, with a total of sixty or more guns. The fleet flew the banner of the Confederacy along with the captain's own banner for sake of distinction in the heat of battle. It has been known that the Confederacy also flew false colors in order to close in with their intended target, then proceeding to broad-side them in the confusion of the ruse. Call for Confederation After months of infighting and occasional clashes with local powers in the region, the League began to slowly drift apart. Its unity came into question, as many leaders saw the young faction as being doomed to fail. Around 622 K.C. the Pirate King and his close allies discovered a plot by dissenters that wanted to break away from the League. The King's Council, as they were called, advised the Pirate King to take action and convince the dissenters to stay with promises of reform and further booty. However, the Pirate King deduced that such a course of action would only further portray him as a leader of weak spine. Therefore, by the closing months of the year, he declared a purge of all those who served under him. What followed was a brief period of instability known simply as "The Crushing". During this time, many supposed dissidents to the Pirate King's rule over Libertalia and the young League were killed or banished, thus centralizing control and allowing the Pirate King to appoint like-minded individuals who would help in solidifying his new government. More and more, the continued to act less like a pirate league and more like a sovereign state. Still, the League was not prepared to make the final steps into nationhood just yet. After the purges of 622 K.C. the Pirate King began to expand his operations to harass, plunder, and smuggle within the borders of the Kingdom of Stormwind. The leading argument was that the League would utilize the ongoing wars in Kalimdor, and then later Pandaria, to capitalize on looting border settlements and smuggle in exotic and illegal goods into the black markets of Stormwind. For a time, this strategy worked. Many of the villages and towns that bordered Westfall served as prime targets for the League, allowing them to move in and set up shop in royal lands. Duskwood was generally considered impenetrable, but the banks of the Nazferiti River served as some of the most viable locations for smuggling operations. Redridge was also considered, but the presence of Blackrock orcs dissuaded smugglers and mercenaries from raiding there. Years passed, and the League continued to build up its resources. By 625 K.C. however, the first major signs of resistance came. Elements of the First Regiment of Westridge, a detachment of the Elwynn Brigade, began to engage the League along the Nazferiti River. With aid from the Stormwind Guard, the League began to slowly feel the pressure of the Crown's continued push against their smuggling operations. In response, the League swiftly reorganized and prepared itself for open conflict. In order to do so, the Pirate King called for a formal confederation before proceeding into battle with the Kingdom of Stormwind. Their policy of plunder and legitimacy would continue, but most within the League agreed they would cease activities before they boiled into a declaration of war. With a plan set, the new government was declared by the close of 625 K.C. The Confederacy of the South Seas, standing as a reactionary government to safeguard the interests of their new-found nation against the aggression of what they perceived to be an aggressive imperialist power, was born. ''"And there shall be the position of PIRATE KING, the strongest of the strong, the boldest of the bold, and the wisest of the wise. His guidance shall be REQUIRED and PARAMOUNT in all affairs concerning the safety and survival of the CONFEDERACY. These articles hereby grant the powers of rule and control to the PIRATE KING should they be NECESSARY. In all other aspects, the PIRATE KING is merely an observer and a member of the FREEMAN'S COUNCIL, in which his membership shall be considered the most SENIOR. When times of strife and WAR come upon the Confederacy, the PIRATE KING, like any good and honest captain of the sea, shall guide his people to RICHES and VICTORY." ''- Articles of Maritime Confederation, Section II. - The Government of Our Confederacy A Costly War Reconstruction and Consolidation The Great Offensive Category:Pirates Category:Piracy Category:Pirate Organizations Category:Confederacy of the South Seas